In 1994, Brad Pitt faced terrible shooting conditions while filming Interview with the Vampire.
The filming took place in two locations, New Orleans and London. While the former was fine, the latter was “dead of winter,” and the studio had not been refurbished for decades.
In an interview, Pitt revealed that the filming conditions in London depressed him and nearly broke him one day.
He said, “We’re shooting in Pinewood Studios, which is an old institution all the James Bond films. There’s no windows in there… and then you come out, and it’s dark.”
Pitt also shared that he began to reconsider his decision to work on the film and asked his friend and producer of the movie, David Geffen, about the cost of leaving the project.
Geffen’s answer took the anxiety off of him. Pitt said, “I go, ‘OK, thank you.’ It actually took the anxiety off of me.
I was like, ‘I’ve got to man up and ride this through, and that’s what I’m going to do.'”
According to Pitt, the cost of leaving the film was $40 million, and he had no choice but to stay.
As a rising actor, Pitt had worked tirelessly to become an A-list star in the industry. He made a name for himself and became known for his resilience.
However, working on Interview with the Vampire was a nightmare for Pitt in many ways.
He revealed that there was a competitive spirit between him and Tom Cruise on the set.
Although there was no bad blood between the actors, Pitt recalls feeling a competitive vibe between him and Cruise.
He said, “You gotta understand, Tom and I are… we walk in different directions. He’s North Pole. I’m South.”
As both actors were rising stars at that time, they both wanted to be the best ones on screen.
Pitt claims that their competitive nature towards each other always was the reason they never had any real conversation.
However, Pitt did not shy away from praising Cruise’s acting skills.
He said, “He is a good actor. You know, he’s… he’s got that intense, laser-focused ability to lock in and really deliver.”
Despite the challenges, Interview with the Vampire is considered one of the best works of Pitt’s career.
The film is based on the novel by Anne Rice and features Pitt as Louis de Pointe du Lac, a vampire who tells his life story to a reporter.
The film was directed by Neil Jordan and starred Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, and Antonio Banderas.
Pitt and Cruise’s on-screen chemistry was remarkable, and their performances were praised by critics and audiences alike.
The film was a commercial success, grossing over $220 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing vampire films of all time.
